How can I tell whether women students feel they belong in an engineering department?
To judge whether women students feel they belong, look for any published student-survey results or information on enrollment and continuation by gender, and ask current students at open days or similar events about comfort speaking in class, relationships with faculty and peers, support contacts, and isolation. Also check for support or social opportunities for women students, accessible advising, and activities students can join. Avoid basing your view on a single comment or statistic.
Key points
- Check published student surveys and any available information on enrollment and continuation.
- Ask current students at open days or similar events about the everyday learning environment and relationships.
- Look at concrete features such as support contacts, opportunities to connect, and activities students can join.
Things to check
- Experiences can differ by year, course, and individual, so use more than one source of information.
- Published data and student accounts may reflect who was included and when the information was collected.